Taste of Las Cruces: Saenz Gorditas offers quality gorditas, and other plates, on the go

When the mercury is dipping to record lows here in Las Cruces, it's hard to think about leaving the house for a meal. You have to put on your coat, get the kids bundled up, warm up the car it's just a hassle that you don't want.

Saenz Gorditas, 1700 N. Solano Drive, is the answer with a fast and inexpensive drive-through that gets you on your way home with quality gorditas, burritos and enchiladas — all from the comfort of your heated vehicle. We pulled up on a brisk day, and even though there were four cars in the drive-though line in front of us, the wait wasn't long at all.

For more than 10 years, Saenz Gorditas has been perfecting their masa recipe and, I have to say, they're doing it right. When you order the gordita, the corn pocket always comes out golden brown and crispy, thick enough to withstand the overflowing meat and cheese filling.

On my visit, Saenz was also offering a brisket version to go along with their usual ground beef and potato filling, and both were equally satisfying, especially with hot salsa drenched on the top. (A note to the salsa lovers: you might want to ask for extra because the gordita platter comes with just one serving of salsa.)

The brisket taco platter that's on the menu right now is just as filling, with fresh-made taco shells — not the store-bought kind you'll find at some other restaurants. Small details like that is what really pushes Saenz over the top of my tastebud list.

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Usually when I visit Saenz, I stick to the gorditas, but I was feeling frisky, so I decided to tack on a smothered green burrito to the order. The burrito was very heavy and before I even looked at it, I really felt as if I had good return on my invesment.

The green-chile smother was extra cheesy and the chile was definitely on the hot side of the spectrum (a super plus!). The green chile pork meat was tender the whole way through, and comprised of very lean cuts of meat, which made the eating very pleasant. The potato cuts didn't make up an overwhelming amount of the filling, either. I would definitely order it again. On my next trip, I think I'll try the red burrito to see how it measures up.

Not only did we get our food in a timely fashion, but as I mentioned before, Saenz is inexpensive. The combination plates range from $5.50 to $6.50 and burritos are $2.50. They are $4 smothered. Between 2 and 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, gorditas are just $0.99 each.

Saenz Gorditas may look like just another hole-in-the-wall place that time has forgotten here in Las Cruces, but it's really one of our hidden gems. Don't be fooled by appearances; go by your tastes. There is a reason they are still in business after all these years, and if you haven't tried them yet, I strongly recommend them.

When the weather warms up, they do have several benches outside of the restaurant for you to sit and enjoy your meal if you stop by for a lunch or dinner.

Pablo Martinez is a freelance writer and may be reached at pablis014@yahoo.com.

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